From the Indo-Pacific to the Baltic Sea, everything is connected

China and Russia are at the forefront of maritime aggression worldwide. Germany's interests are also affected.

Shipping and geopolitics have always been intertwined. With this in mind, leading representatives from politics and the maritime industry used unusually clear words to focus the attention of the latest SMM on social defence, resilience and competitiveness. While the majority of major European shipowners are now avoiding the Red Sea, Chinese-owned vessels are increasingly sailing here. Trade patterns in the region have changed almost overnight since the Yemeni Houthi attacks began. Just as the war in Ukraine cannot be separated from the conflict in Gaza or the escalating crisis in Sudan, the threat to critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea must also be considered in the context of attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea or threatened grain shipments in the Black Sea.